Evaluation of ammonia 'fixation' components in actual refinery sour waters

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Am. Pet. Inst., Publ.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5054601

Bomberger, D C; Smith, J H

In a study completed by D. C. Bomberger and J. H. Smith at SRI International for the American Petroleum Institute in Nov. 1977, stripped sour waters from eight refineries processing California, Middle East, Gulf Coast, and Mid-Continent crudes were analyzed for organic components, oxidized sulfur compounds, and heavy metals. Analytical problems existed with ammonia, cyanides, and sulfides. Ammonia fixation (i.e., formation of ammonia that is resistant to removal by additional steam) was not related to heavy metals, but appeared to be caused by weak organic acids and sulfur compounds, such as thiosulfuric and thiocyanic acids. Neither the acids nor the sulfur compounds could be firmly associated with a particular crude source or crude processing operation. The amount of fixation for a particular unstripped sour water could be predicted by potentiometric titration or by batch stripping with nitrogen to pH 6. Ammonia fixation could be eliminated by adding caustic to the sour water stripper, preferably at the top of the column. Caustic substitution for steam was economically attractive when > 97% ammonia removal levels were required. In the absence of fixed ammonia, caustic addition degraded sulfide removal efficiency. Simple cyanides (but not metal-complexed cyanides) were readily stripped under typical refinery conditions.

• Research Organization: SRI Int.
• OSTI ID: 5054601
• Journal Information: Am. Pet. Inst., Publ.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Pet. Inst., Publ.; (United States) Vol. 954; ISSN APIPC
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400 -- Petroleum-- Processing
020800* -- Petroleum-- Waste Management
AMMONIA
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CONTROL
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LIQUID WASTES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLLUTION CONTROL
SOLIDIFICATION
SOUR CRUDES
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL